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To be fair, the OP is using this video to show his methods aren't as bad as some others. This is true. If the OP wants to use an iron on his books, that's fine. However, I don't think these books should ever be placed into the marketplace. As mentioned by someone else, the memory of the original spine will probably come back. To iron these and sell them, while they are 'hot', as a higher grade is not ethical. I've had books revert in the slab. Trust me, it's a sick feeling to see an expensive book you bought in 8.0, morph into a 7.0, while in the slab. It happens if the press is not done properly. One thing for sure, I would never buy a book from the OP.

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To be fair, the OP is using this video to show his methods aren't as bad as some others. This is true. If the OP wants to use an iron on his books, that's fine. However, I don't think these books should ever be placed into the marketplace. As mentioned by someone else, the memory of the original spine will probably come back. To iron these and sell them, while they are 'hot', as a higher grade is not ethical. I've had books revert in the slab. Trust me, it's a sick feeling to see an expensive book you bought in 8.0, morph into a 7.0, while in the slab. It happens if the press is not done properly. One thing for sure, I would never buy a book from the OP.

I have noticed one of my books, the spine roll coming back, but I'm sure with better and more pressing/ironing and more practice, I could actually get it to stay. However I do realize that ironing it can speed up the aging process, and too much "pressing" might actually noticeably damage the book. But I think if after you press it and leave it under a book for 12+ hours, you put it in a tight mylar, ie 3-4 boards, it will be less likely to revert back to its original state.

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To be fair, the OP is using this video to show his methods aren't as bad as some others. This is true. If the OP wants to use an iron on his books, that's fine. However, I don't think these books should ever be placed into the marketplace. As mentioned by someone else, the memory of the original spine will probably come back. To iron these and sell them, while they are 'hot', as a higher grade is not ethical. I've had books revert in the slab. Trust me, it's a sick feeling to see an expensive book you bought in 8.0, morph into a 7.0, while in the slab. It happens if the press is not done properly. One thing for sure, I would never buy a book from the OP.

Do you by any chance, have a photo example of what you're referring to? (comic in slab changing it's spine alignment). I would think once it's sealed in the mylar it would stay.

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Do you by any chance, have a photo example of what you're referring to? (comic in slab changing it's spine alignment). I would think once it's sealed in the mylar it would stay.

In my case, it wasn't the spine alignment but the return of numerous spine creases. This was a 5K key slabbed as 8.0 . Trust me, I stared at that book upon buying it, had it memorized in my mind. I put it in a safety deposit box and return, maybe 9 months or so, later for a visit. I felt like I was punched in the stomach. Looked like a classic example of a 7.0 with numerous spine creases. I no longer have the book = no after pics. This stuff happens. That's why I frown upon amateur pressing and 'quick' professional pressing. To properly press a book, it needs attention. Whenever somebody shows an example of an overgraded book, say a 9.6 with numerous spine crease, I always assume it was not a case of a bad grade, just a bad press that reverted. I'm also careful of avoiding spines with that wafer thin look. A properly pressed book should retain some plumpness on the spine. Regarding the spine realignment, I have heard, unless it's done properly, the book is very much inclined to revert. I am pretty sure the examples the OP is showing us would eventually revert.

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In my case, it wasn't the spine alignment but the return of numerous spine creases. This was a 5K key slabbed as 8.0 . Trust me, I stared at that book upon buying it, had it memorized in my mind. I put it in a safety deposit box and return, maybe 9 months or so, later for a visit. I felt like I was punched in the stomach. Looked like a classic example of a 7.0 with numerous spine creases. I no longer have the book = no after pics. This stuff happens. That's why I frown upon amateur pressing and 'quick' professionalpressing. To properly press a book, it needs attention. Whenever somebody shows an example of an overgraded book, say a 9.6 with numerous spine crease, I always assume it was not a case of a bad grade, just a bad press that reverted. I'm also careful of avoiding spines with that wafer thin look. A properly pressed book should retain some plumpness on the spine. Regarding the spine realignment, I have heard, unless it's done properly, the book is very much inclined to revert. I am pretty sure the examples the OP is showing us would eventually revert.

Hmmmm.... So the CCS "Quick Press" might be just a money grab. I've used that service before and when my books came back from CGC I honestly couldn't tell anything had been pressed out. I could still see the same shallow dimples that I thought would be pressed out.

A real press has a humidity & a heat element to it , right? Whereas a "quick press" is probably just a heat press.

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Hmmmm.... So the CCS "Quick Press" might be just a money grab. I've used that service before and when my books came back from CGC I honestly couldn't tell anything had been pressed out. I could still see the same shallow dimples that I thought would be pressed out.

A real press has a humidity & a heat element to it , right? Whereas a "quick press" is probably just a heat press.

I can't imagine anyone Quick Pressing a $5k book. Not saying it didn't happen but it doesn't make sense to save a couple bucks on a book where every possible grade increment represents hundreds of $$.

Yes, humidity and heat gives the best results. I'm not sure what the pros consider a quick press. Could be just heat or it could be heat and humidity but no effort to clean the book or tack iron problem spots.

Books can certainly revert to prior condition if incorrectly pressed.

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Hmmmm.... So the CCS "Quick Press" might be just a money grab. I've used that service before and when my books came back from CGC I honestly couldn't tell anything had been pressed out. I could still see the same shallow dimples that I thought would be pressed out.

A real press has a humidity & a heat element to it , right? Whereas a "quick press" is probably just a heat press.

From my understanding, CCS's "quick" press involves only pressing the book once, whereas with the regular press, they repeat the process until all perusable defects have been removed. So with the quick press, there could still be some pressable defects remaining after the process.

I have always assumed that humidity was used in both processes, it's just the number of "passes" the book gets on the press that differs. That and screening the book first to see if it is a good candidate for pressing. Like I said though, this is an assumption. From the CGC / CCS site under the description of "quick press":

Quote

QuickPress is a fast and inexpensive alternative to our multi-step standard Pressing service. It includes the removal of the same defects as regular pressing (dents, bends, crunches, rippling, warping, spine rolls and indentions) and includes dry cleaning as well. For expediency, QuickPress comics only pass through the process once; any remaining defects will not be further treated as they normally would during the full pressing process.

The best candidates for QuickPress tend to be high-grade moderns, which exhibit very few flaws to remove, and mid to low-grade books that have a large number of pressable defects. The QuickPress service is also ideal for raw comics to enhance their appearance in hand.

To maintain the low cost and speed of this tier, CCS does not offer the Screening service for QuickPress. As a result, please check all QuickPress submissions to insure the comics are not fragile, including tanning, brittleness, splitting spines, weak staple areas or pieces that are barely attached.

The last part that I bolded there seems to indicate that with the quick-press, they'll just press anything that's thrown at them, even if it may damage the book?

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Hmmmm.... So the CCS "Quick Press" might be just a money grab. I've used that service before and when my books came back from CGC I honestly couldn't tell anything had been pressed out. I could still see the same shallow dimples that I thought would be pressed out.

A real press has a humidity & a heat element to it , right? Whereas a "quick press" is probably just a heat press.

IMO, the quick press is okay when it's 9.6/9.8 range with no creases, just light surface folds. Otherwise, IMO, I don't think it's very useful. A vintage book with vintage flaws needs proper attention.

IMO, the quick press is okay when it's 9.6/9.8 range with no creases, just light surface folds. Otherwise, IMO, I don't think it's very useful. A vintage book with vintage flaws needs proper attention.

I've actually had very good results with the "quick press" technique...but it helps to know which flaws will react more favorably with this procedure. In my view, a severe spine roll needs a more comprehensive approach...

PGX isn't doing anything worthy of being shutdown. Who's going to shut them down? They aren't doing anything illegal. PGX is known to sometimes give 1.0 grades to incomplete books. Grading is subjective, and I would be more mad at CGC in this case, because there is no such this as a "qualified 0.5" it should just be an 0.5 or a qualified 1.0. I don't see the problem here. Both are independent companies giving their "opinion" on the grade of the book. I only buy raw because then I know what I'm getting. I inspect the book, and if its incomplete I get a refund. Buy the book not the grade. The buyer here should have inspected his book before it was sent to CGC, gotten a refund since it was not disclosed that the book was incomplete, or taken it up with PGX. Problem solved.

When they encapsulate a book with the cover married to an interior from a different comic altogether, make no mention of it on the label, and then profit from the subsequent sale of the comic, they may be doing something illegal called fraud.